Dear Parent(s) and Carer(s),
It has been an extremely busy and productive start to the academic year. We hope that your child has enjoyed this first module, and that they are looking forward to a well-earned break. It’s been a real pleasure for me to start at LAB, and Sancho in particular. I have really enjoyed getting to know all of our students and the wonderful community we have in Sancho, and look forward to getting to know our students even better and meeting more of you over the coming weeks and months.
I’m pleased to report that students in Sancho have the most merits of any College, and would very much like to see this continue after half term. It was great to see so many students at our celebration breakfast yesterday to congratulate them for all the hard work they have put in this module. A particular well done to form 8B who were rewarded for having the highest attendance this module, and Elisha in 9B, who was drawn randomly out of our top merit-holders as the winner of a £20 Amazon voucher.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all students who have acted as tour guides at our Open Evening and Open Morning. Visitors were impressed by their smartness, knowledge, and gregariousness, and we are very proud of the way that they have represented themselves, Sancho, and the wider school community.
It is undeniably an important time for Year 11s and we would like to thank parents and carers for their ongoing support and attendance at key events including the Y11 Consultation evening, as well as ensuring your child is engaging with interventions. Our GCSE Revision sites go live on our website today, with lots of information and resources to help your child and to support you in helping them with their revision. There are also lots of resources on the Science of Learning, to ensure that students are revising in the most effective way possible; please engage with your child in looking through these resources to help prepare them optimally for the exams at the beginning of December.
The vast majority of Sancho students arrive at school every day on time, looking smart in their full uniform, ready and fully equipped to learn. However, we felt it might be timely to take this opportunity to remind parents and carers about our expectations relating to punctuality and uniform to avoid any confusion.
Punctuality
Students should arrive prior to 08:20. We do issue sanctions for students who arrive late because we know that habits of punctuality communicate respect for others, and are important for success in the world of work.
Uniform
As per the guidance available on our website, students are expected to wear the following:
- Our navy blue blazer with academy crest;
- Steel grey classic trouser or pleated skirt;
- White button up shirt;
- Leigh Academy Blackheath college tie;
- Plain navy or grey socks;
- Black leather shoes with plain laces (coloured laces are not permitted);
Please also note that students can wear studded earrings, but the following is not permitted: excessive jewellery, brightly coloured hair, nail varnish, nail extensions, false eyelashes and thick make-up.
Again, we do issue sanctions if students are not in the correct uniform, as we believe that students should develop habits of dressing smartly when it is appropriate to do so. This also shows respect for our school community.
Please can I ask that your child bring a coat to school during module 2. Although we do not permit students to wear coats inside the school building, as the weather worsens, we anticipate some wet and windy weeks ahead, and learning is much harder to do, of course, when one is cold and damp.
Mobile Phones and Digital Safety
As you are aware, mobile phones are not permitted to be used on site. If seen, they will be confiscated, and parents or carers will be called to collect. Should a child need to contact home during the day due to an emergency, they should speak to one of the SSMs (Student Service Managers).
Following our previous letter, we continue to stress the importance of students using social media appropriately. Social media platforms such as Snapchat, Facebook, X, TikTok and Instagram have had a big impact on the way in which we communicate and express thoughts and opinions. Students can sometimes find these platforms difficult to navigate and unfortunately, we have been made aware of some unkindness on year group Whatsapp and Snapchat groups, by some students.
We would like to take this opportunity to highlight the importance of families monitoring their child’s social media use. Whilst we are not directly responsible for your child’s interactions on social media, we are of course invested in their wellbeing. We would ask, therefore, that all parents and carers continue to monitor their child’s use of social media and discourage any involvement in Whatsapp groups. We would also remind parents and carers that there is a reason why Snapchat, Facebook, X, TikTok and Instagram have an age restriction of 13. As of 2018, the minimum age of use for WhatsApp in the UK is 16 years old.
For more information on how to monitor your child’s use of social media, please visit: www.nationalonlinesafety.com/hub. Please feel free to contact your child’s tutor if you have any concerns.
Finally, we would like to wish all Sancho students and their families an enjoyable and restful half term. We are looking forward to welcoming you back on Monday 6th November for the start of Module 2.
Yours faithfully,
Mr J Powell | Vice Principal, Sancho College & Mr J Smith | Assistant Principal, Sancho College